


Knowledge

by mikeymagee



Series: πατέρας [1]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 10:09:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10090811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikeymagee/pseuds/mikeymagee
Summary: It is customary for the father to impart whatever wisdom he has on his son...but there are some things Calvin Durham isn't ready to explain just yet.





	

In the city of Shayaris, it was customary for the father to teach the son all he knew. Of course, there wasn’t anything Calvin Durham felt he knew about Atlantis that Sha’lain’a couldn’t explain in a more appropriate manner, and Kaldur’ahm was so curious about everything. He was growing faster than seaweed, and Calvin was worried he wouldn’t be able to satisfy his son’s appetite for knowledge. 

 

But regardless, he still wanted to try. 

 

“Father,” Kaldur’ahm asked as he swam to his father’s side. The two had found themselves in an open field, right on the outskirts of Shayaris. Kaldur had wanted so much to understand the surface dweller’s game of “Baseball” and begged his father to explain it to him. “I believe I am ready to ‘pitch’ now.”  Kaldur held up a small stone he had found lying on the seafloor. On the surface world, they would have used baseballs and catcher’s mitts, and pitching mounds, but such a thing did not exist beneath the surface, so Calvin made do.

 

“Alright,” Calvin said, “Swim onto the outfield, and throw that stone as hard as you can, okay? We’re just gonna work on throwing and catching today.” 

 

Kaldur nodded and did as he was told. He found a sturdy spot to plant his feet on, dug his tiny heels into the sea soil and threw. The stone slugged through the water at the pace of a manatee with a broken fin. And then, it stopped in the middle of the water and bobbed helplessly. 

 

And Kaldur felt like he had failed.

 

“Don’t worry about it Kaldur,” Calvin said as he grabbed the stone, and ran his palms all over it. “That was a good throw.”

 

No. It wasn’t. And Kaldur knew it. If they had been on the surface world, where the air filled one’s lungs, and the sun baked the skin, the throw would have reached the hands of his father. Then, they could  _ really _ play. And Kaldur could really learn about the world his father came from. The world of human automobiles, and ice cream sundaes, and sun bathing. Why couldn’t Kaldur go? 

 

“Oh no,” Calvin said. Every time Kaldur’s face scrunched and his eyes grew dull was a sure sign that he was going to ask to be taken to the surface. “I know that look in your eye, and the answer is still no.”    

 

“But  father,” Kaldur said, “You’re from the surface. And that makes me half-surface dweller. And shouldn’t I get to learn about where we come from? An-”

 

“Your mother would never go for it. And you’re too young,” Calvin said. “You know how she worries, and frankly, I’d worry too. You wouldn’t be ready for the surface world Kaldur. There’s things up there that you’re not equipped to deal with just yet.”

 

“But you’d be with me,” Kaldur said, trying to urge his father to reconsider. “How dangerous could it be?”

 

There were parts of the surface world that Kaldur was unaware of. Kaldur and Calvin weren’t just father and son, they were black men. No matter how young Kaldur was, or how innocent he looked, he was still seen as a threat. A thug. A pit bull that was better left dead. 

 

Father’s are meant to teach their sons how to survive in the world, but the knowledge of Kaldur’s skin color wasn’t something Calvin was ready to impart on his son. At least here in Atlantis, Kaldur wouldn’t have to worry about the fear of a cop’s badge, or the wandering of fearful eyes. Kaldur’ahm was free to be a child. 

 

And for now, that was enough. 


End file.
